1. Prior Art
The invention pertains to aids for the elderly of functionally impaired.
More particularly, the invention pertains to walkers and bedpans.
Historically, the first appendages to weaken beyond use are legs because of various medical reasons and the practical reason that the use of the legs requires both a good sense of balance and strength to support the rest of the body. Walkers are used to supplement the function of the legs by providing a balancing framework with hand rails. The hand rails serve as a support to lean on and as handles to move the walker. With the use of the walker, at least some added mobility is given to the user.
When using the bathroom, a user uses the walker to move to a bathroom. This does not completely resolve the problem since the user, who does not ordinarily have great strength, must raise and lower himself to a bathroom seat. The additional problem exists that a user must move backwards to get in position with a conventional bathroom. A user must then lift himself off of the seat and move back to a resting location.
The present invention provides an unconventional forward approach to the seat.
The alternative, in the prior art, has been to use a bedpan which is usually placed under the user where the user stays. This is uncomfortable and can be unsanitary.
Both methods in the prior art can require the intervention of another person which can cause embarrassment to the user as well as a loss of esteem and frustration from not being able to care for oneself.
2. General Discussion of the Invention
The present invention addresses this problem by providing a movable bathroom utilizing a bracket for holding a bedpan to a frame which is similar in use to a walker. The user, sitting up in a bed, may pull the device towards the bed and lift himself using rails which are a part of the frame. The user can balance himself and walk himself onto the seat using the hand rails. The seat is held in a bracket beneath the hand rails. The height of the seat and rails are adjustable to a comfortable height for the user. The seat bracket is braced so it may hold the full weight of the user.
The frame also supports a padded headrest which is also adjustable by the user. The headrest support not only gives support in the preferred embodiment but also holds a vomit pan since illness may accompany sitting up to use the invention. This headrest is an important aspect of the invention described herein because a standard commode would not provide a means for holding a head rest or a pan.
The bedpan and other pans are removable for easy cleaning. The frame is wider than a standard walker frame in the preferred embodiment to allow the user to comfortably get over the seat.
One object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a free-standing mobile commode or toilet for infirm people.
Another object is to provide a mobile commode with handles to assist moving into place.
Another object is to provide a mobile toilet which can be used while in a standing or near-standing position and alleviates the need for walking to a commode.
Another object is to provide a bathroom device which an elderly or infirm person may use without assistance and without moving backwards to sit down.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become better understood hereinafter from a consideration of the specification, with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and in which like numerals correspond to parts throughout the several views of the invention.